MacBook Pro 13" Four Thunderbolt Ports 2020 Screen Replacement

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim

Comments: 25

MacBook Pro 13" Four Thunderbolt Ports 2020 Screen Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the entire display assembly on your MacBook Pro, in order to fix a cracked or faulty screen.

For your safety, drain your MacBook Pro's battery below 25% charge before you begin.

Note: Some Torx T3 screws may require a Torx T4 bit to avoid stripping.

Note: After installing a replacement display, your True Tone may not function normally.

Some photos in this guide are from a different model and may contain slight visual discrepancies, but they won't affect the guide procedure.

Tools

Parts

MacBook Pro 13" (A2251, 2020) Display Assembly

Step 1

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac's Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.
If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you're inside.
Completely power off and unplug your MacBook before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove the six screws securing the lower case:
Two 6.7 mm screws
Four 3.4 mm screws
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

Step 2

Apply a suction handle to the lower case near the front-center area of the MacBook Pro.
Lift the suction handle to create a slight gap between the lower case and the chassis.

Step 3

Insert one corner of an opening pick into the space between the lower case and the chassis.
Slide the opening pick around the nearest corner and halfway up the side of the case.
This releases the first of the hidden clips securing the lower case to the chassis. You should feel and hear the clip pop free.

Step 4

Repeat the previous step on the opposite side, sliding your opening pick under the lower case and up the side to pop the second clip free.

Step 5

Insert your opening pick once again under the front edge of the lower case, near one of the two centermost screw holes.
Give the pick a firm twist to pop free the third clip securing the lower case to the chassis.
Repeat this procedure near the other of the two centermost screw holes, popping the fourth clip free.

Step 6

Pull the lower case firmly towards the front of the MacBook (away from the hinge area) to separate the last of the clips securing the lower case.
Pull first at one corner, then the other.
Pull to the side—not up.
This can require a lot of force.

How much force are we talking. I am giving it hell.

Chris MacCoy -

Step 7

Remove the lower case.
To reinstall the lower case:
Set it in place and align the sliding clips near the display hinge. Press down and slide the cover toward the hinge. It should stop sliding as the clips engage.
When the sliding clips are fully engaged and the lower case looks correctly aligned, press down firmly on the lower case to engage the four hidden clips underneath. You should feel and hear them snap into place.

Step 8

Carefully peel up the large piece of tape covering the battery connector, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
Remove the tape.

Step 9

Gently peel back the small piece of tape covering the battery board data cable connector.
The tape is integrated into the ribbon cable and will not detach completely. Simply peel it back enough to access the connector.

Step 10

Use the tip of a spudger to flip up the small black locking tab securing the cable in its connector.

Be very careful here. It is easy to break the whole connector off the battery board, which is what I did. Luckily the connector is part of the replacement battery, so you just need to remove the connector from the cable. The pictures here should provide more detail so you can see better what is going on.

Mark Hayden - 15/05/21

thanks a lot !!!!! great help :)

der gute Geist -

Step 11

Disconnect the battery board data cable by sliding it out from its socket.
Slide parallel to the logic board, in the direction of the cable.

As simple as this step might seem, the golden leads will disapper the moment you remove it as it has some adhesive under the black strip that covers it. Ensure you peel it back enough to display the golden leads after swapping the batteries out.

Harish Prasanna -

Your battery may come with this ribbon cable. In that case, disconnect the other end.

bencottrill -

Step 12

Fold the battery board data cable to the side and out of the way.

I don't recall removing this cable from the laptop. I see that when actually putting the new battery in, the cable is attached already where it was detached and the right end needs to be reconnected.

durphym -

unfortunately the instructions to removing this cable are absent and I tried to pry the tab up instead of out and I damaged my board. Now no battery will work but it still functions with only with power cord. So be careful!

Laloyd -

Step 13

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the 3.7 mm pancake screw securing the battery power connector.

Step 14

Use a spudger to gently lift the battery power connector, disconnecting the battery.
Lift the connector high enough so that it stays separated from its socket. If it accidentally makes contact during the course of your repair, it could damage your MacBook Pro.

To completely avoid accidental contacts I recommend to wrap this connector in a piece of paper and hold it in place with tape.

Do not put tape directly on the contact underside, as that may leave some glue that would affect the contact conductivity.

Sergio Ballestrero - 15/07/20

I put a piece of tape on the underside of the connector (sticky side up) to insure against accidental battery contact. If you put tape on the logic board side of the connection, some insulating padding material might accidentally stick to the tape when the tape is removed during reassembly.

W. Smith -

Step 15

Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the four 1.9 mm screws securing the plastic covers on top of the display hinges.
Remove both plastic hinge covers.

Step 16

Remove the two 2.9 mm T3 Torx screws securing the aluminum cover on top of the main display cable.
Remove the cover.

Step 17

Remove the two 1.7 mm T3 Torx screws securing the aluminum cover on top of the display cable flex connector.
Remove the cover.

Step 18

Pry the display board flex cable straight up from its socket to disconnect it from the display board.

Step 19

Remove the four 1.5 mm T3 Torx screws securing the two aluminum covers on top of the two display board cables.
Use a pair of tweezers to remove the two aluminium covers.

this step is completely unnecessary, there is no reason what so ever that this would even need to be done, unless you want to desolder the board

Jacob Whitney -

If you are replacing the screen, and your replacement screen doesn't come with these pre-installed, you'll need to transfer them to the new screen.

Some of the steps in these guides are shared with other guides, depending what brought you here you may not need to do this step.

maccentric -

Step 20

Remove the four 3.9 mm T5 Torx screws (two from each side) securing the antenna cable assembly.
Also remove the twelve 1.1 mm P2 pentalobe screws (six from each side).

Step 21

Carefully disconnect the three antenna coax cables by prying them straight up from the logic board.
Slide your tweezers or the pointed end of your spudger underneath each cable until it's near the socket, and then gently twist or pry up to disconnect it.
To reconnect each cable, align the connector directly over its socket, and then press down so it snaps into place.

Step 22

Remove the 2.8 mm T5 Torx screw securing the three antenna coax cables to the main board.

Step 23

Use an opening pick to lever out the antenna cable assembly in the areas shown.
Don't slide the opening pick from side to side, as there are two display cables that could be damaged in the way.

Step 24

Carefully remove the antenna assembly, while simultaneously feeding the antenna cable bundle out from underneath the heat pipe.

Step 25

Remove the antenna cable assembly.
During reassembly, gently pinch the cable bundle together and guide it under the heat pipe into the correct position on the board. If needed, use your tools to help guide it through, but don't force it.

Step 26

Remove the four 3.9 mm T3 Torx screws securing the two display cable cover springs.
During reassembly, if the cover springs aren't reaching their screw holes open the screen and pull them out until they reach.

T4 works better there !

Paul Garcia -

I guess it depends on your tools. Maybe a worn T4 would fit, mine wouldn't. T3 it is.

maccentric -

Torx T3 da 3,9 isn't easy to find it in a tool kit, damned

pbs pbs -

Step 27

Grab the left side of the display cable assembly and pull it towards the bottom end of the MacBook and away from the cover spring.
Use a pair of tweezers to pull the cover spring of the display cable out of its recess.
Repeat this step with the right cover spring of the display cable assembly.

Step 28

Open your MacBook to a 90-degree angle.

Step 29

Gently place your laptop keyboard-side-down over the edge of a table so the screen hangs straight down.

Step 30

Keep your MacBook secured with your free hand while loosening the hinge screws so it doesn't fall off of the table.
Loosen, but don't remove, the six T8 Torx screws securing the hinges.

Step 31

Keep the main body secured against the table and open the screen all the way.

Step 32

Support the screen with one hand and use your free hand to remove the six T8 Torx screws securing the hinges.
Don't let the screen fall on its own as you remove the screws.

Step 33

Lower the screen.

Step 34

Keep the screen supported constantly during the next two steps.
Firmly secure the main body of your MacBook with one hand.
With your free hand, push the left side of the screen up and towards the bottom of your laptop to free the left hinge.
Be very careful not to damage the Touch Bar connector when moving the left hinge. It can be easily crushed, resulting in an inoperable Touch Bar.

Step 35

Free the right hinge and remove the screen.

Conclusion

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting or search our Answers community for help.

If you are having True Tone, Touch Bar lighting, or keyboard backlight issues after installing a replacement display, try resetting your Mac’s SMC and NVRAM/PRAM.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

110978 Reputation

11 comments

I'm not sure if I just stripped the screws a bit, but for steps 17 and 19 (the display cable covers), a T4 Torx worked better than a T3 Torx for both removing and reinstalling the screws.

Harry Yu -

Harry, sometimes a T4 driver may fit better into some MacBook T3 screws, but it depends on the specific bit used and the tolerances on the specific screw in the machine. Thanks for your insight—I'll add a note to the guide!

Carsten Frauenheim -

Did the repair go OK for you? Did the True Tone work at all?

Gary Ogilvie -

Just finished doing this and when the computer boots the apple logo looks the correct brightness. Halfway through the boot process, the screen gets really dim, even through brightness is set to max. Not sure the cause of this, will report back if I figure it out.

maccentric -

Did you ever figure out what has caused this? I am about to do this repair so wanted to do some research first.

Gary Ogilvie -

II have exactly the same problem. When starting up, the logo appears in normal brightness, then the screen goes dark, as if software were controlling it. I can't get rid of this. Have you been able to solve the problem in the meantime?

Roberto -

I take it this is also the guide to change the display cable ( MacBook Air 13" (Late 2018-Late 2020) Display Cable) in case the monitor goes displaying black giant bar ?

mbaillargeon -

Hello, i can’t do the step 18 in reverse :i can’t connect the LCD cable…

ulysse28candelier02 -

Hola , a mi me ocurre lo mismo con el brillo se atenúa muchísimo probare este consejo ,gracias .

Alberto -

Just fitted a replacement display to this. Screen “works” but the laptop is only sending output to hdmi. Desktop etc showing on external. No internal display showing in display settings. There is an image on the internal display, the Ventura desktop and boot progress bar so without an external display hooked up it looks like the Mac has frozen mid boot.

Any ideas. Tried resetting nvram but that doesn’t seem to work. At least the Mac won’t do the usual 2nd reboot while keys are held down.

Andrew Stephens -

Hi, thanks for the tutorial. I after reassembling the mac won't start, nothing happens, not even the caracteristic sound when i plug the charger. Maybe i did something wrong replugging the battery ?

Roland -